YES, a More Peaceful Brazil is Possible

By Jody Williams*

(Fredericksburg, VA USA) -- When the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) was launched in 1992, even the most optimistic among us did not think it likely that we would remove landmines from the world's arsenals. Because their use was so longstanding and so widespread, the vision of a ban seemed far from reality. But in just five amazing years, the ordinary citizens who made up the landmine campaign came together to accomplish the extraordinary – an international treaty banning landmines. That same year, when the ICBL and I were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee applauded us for transforming “a vision to a feasible reality.” The Committee also recognized the campaign as a model that “could prove to be of decisive importance to the international effort for disarmament and peace.” And the struggle for continued disarmament goes on.

On October 23, Brazil will become the first country in the world to put its national gun laws to a popular vote. The referendum, together with the other measures contained in its internationally-recognized Disarmament Statute, have put the country in the global spotlight for taking bold steps to curb the unacceptable levels of death and injury caused by guns.

Now the ordinary citizens of Brazil are being called upon to decide whether to prohibit the sale of guns and ammunition. In the lead up to that referendum, Brazilians will undoubtedly be reflecting on their own vision for a more peaceful and just society: How can we best make sure that families and loved ones are safe from the very real threat of gun violence? Is it really possible to prevent this senseless loss of life? Can we – can our vote – really make a difference?

Building peace is hard work. It is often the work of solitary courage – countless individual acts that contribute to real change. Creating a more peaceful society requires transforming entrenched views. The success of the ICBL highlights the significance of finding creative solutions for such transformation. The Brazilian gun referendum is another such creative response to try to reduce the human cost of these lethal weapons.

Just as in our work against landmines, Brazilian civil society has been involved in all stages of the process. Family members and survivors of gun violence in Brazil have participated in political negotiations. NGOs have made important contributions to designing and implementing disarmament programs, such as the voluntary weapons campaign, which has removed over 407,000 guns from circulation.

As one of five women honored with a Nobel Peace Prize in the past fifteen years, I would like to underscore the importance of women’s participation in particular. Though women are the minority of arms users, too often we are caught in the crossfire. Women often provide emotional or financial support in communities devastated by gun violence as well as caring for the wounded. Around the world, women are struggling for meaningful inclusion in formal peace building and disarmament processes. The women of Brazil – who are the majority of voters – now have an historic opportunity to have a decisive impact on security policy.

While national in scope, the Brazilian gun referendum can make a significant contribution to the prevention of armed violence globally. Brazil’s leadership on the issue in Latin America -- the region with the highest levels of gun homicides anywhere in the world – has already lead to other countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay taking steps to tighten their own national gun laws. The 8% drop in gun deaths last year recorded by the Brazilian Ministry of Health is a promising indicator that tightening gun laws has positive results for human security.

A YES vote in October’s referendum will send a clear message that Brazilian men and women are committed to actively transforming their beautiful country into a safer place -- and this message will reverberate around the world. Further, Brazilian support for the Arms Trade Treaty, a global arms control initiative put forward with the support of Nobel Peace Laureates, would also be strategic. Regional and international cooperation are, of course, critical to curtailing arms trafficking and to stemming the flow of weapons into Brazil, before and after the referendum.

My own experience with the landmines campaign has made me a firm believer: YES it is possible for ordinary citizens to come together and achieve the extraordinary. YES it is possible to have a vision of a more peaceful world and make that vision a reality. Voting YES on October 23 is a contribution toward creating that reality.

*Jody Williams is the founding coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and now serves as the campaign Ambassador. In 1997 Ms. Williams and the ICBL were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for achieving an international treaty banning antipersonnel mines.